Broken String
by mnstonecold
Summary: The stories be postMirror Image. my season 7 is now done. fanfic finale shocker! Please review!
1. Default Chapter

QUANTUM LEAP  
  
"Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the quantum leap accelerator and vanished. He awoke to find himself trapped in the past, driven by an unknown force to change history for the better and facing a mirror image that was not his own. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time that Sam can only see and hear. And so, Dr. Beckett leaps from life to life putting right that once went wrong and hoping that the next leap will be the leap  
home."  
  
Reprise: April 3, 1969 Beth Calavicci's house  
  
"...Al's alive and he's coming home." Sam joyfully tells Beth. She cries with joy as Sam gets up to leave. "Where are you going?" she asks. "I have other things to do. I just hope that you and Al will be happy." "I know we will." Beth responds, as Sam leaves. Knowing that he has accomplished the one thing that he had to do Sam looks up to the stars and says' "I hope you like what I've done Al. Because I'm going home."  
With that Dr. Samuel Beckett leaps out into the unknown.  
  
December 30, 1999: Stallions Gate, New Mexico Al Calavicci's home.  
  
As the navy admiral enters his home, he realizes that something is different. All the belongings he had are gone and new ones in their places. He is intrigued by a picture on the table nearest to him. It is of him and Beth, a much older Beth and four young women. He turns it over and it says: Al Calavicci and family. June 15, 1994.  
He has a stunned look on his face when he hears a familiar voice.  
"Al, honey are you going to come to bed or are you going to work all night at that secret project of yours."  
He turns around to see his former-but now current wife Beth.  
He utters the words that Sam has used so many times before, "Oh, boy."  
  
May 3, 1988 Elkridge, Indiana  
  
A young woman is walking through town, looking for someone who she needs help from. She asks one person an then another. Then she catches he reflection in a store window. She's not used the person staring back at her is her self. That is because she used to take on other people's identities to change history for the worse. But she met someone who taught her that changing things for the better is so much more rewarding. That is why she is in his hometown, Elkridge, Indiana. She has to find Dr. Sam Beckett.  
  
Alia walks to the street corner and spots a homeless man watching her. He has tattered clothes and has a gray beard and long hair. She thinks he looks familiar but he moves into an alley. She crosses the street and follows him. She yells out, "Where did you go? I just want to ask you if you-"  
She grabbed from behind as the homeless man covers her mouth and pulls her into a doorway. Then he asks, "What the hell are you doing here, Alia?"  
"Sam!" she says as he releases her. "I've been looking for you. Where have you been? "  
"Correcting mistakes. But I need you to help me correct another one."  
"You want me to come with you?" she asks.  
"Yes."  
"Where? I mean what do you need to fix."  
"Does it matter?"  
"No."  
"Then-let's go."  
And with that Sam and Alia leap together in an aura of greenish- purple light and vanish into the past.  
  
Dec. 30, 1999  
  
Al realizes that Sam went back and changed things for him and Beth. He figures that he has to find him before he does anymore.  
"Well-are you coming." Beth asks. "Or are you going to work on this plan for retrieving Sam again."  
"Well- I-I have to do something, Honey. I would like to stay more than anything...but I've gotta go back to check on something. I'm sorry."  
"Okay. But remember, the kids are coming tomorrow morning. I'm sure they don't want their father to be sleepy when they come over."  
"Kids?! Oh, boy." Al says in shock. He figures out that the young women in the picture are his kids.  
Beth leaves and Al goes out the door to his car.  
"My ex-wives are-are. Dammit, my memory is fading. Sam what have you done." 


	2. chapter two

As Admiral Albert Calavicci makes his way to his car he wonders what Sam has done or undone to change his life. Where did he leap and what did he change? Why did he change these things? More important, how can he meet his 'family' that he doesn't remember.  
  
He drives through the New Mexico desert wondering what has happened. Then he realizes that he has to ask Gooshie what has happened. He calls Control and asks, "Gooshie, have you noticed anything strange going on there?"  
  
"Why no, Admiral. There doesn't seem to be anything peculiar going on here." The head programmer responds nervously.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Well..." he pauses, "There is this one thing. I seem to be married to Tina. What is going on?"  
  
I don't know, but I think Sam changed history. Have Ziggy prepare the Imaging Chamber, so I can talk to him"  
  
"Uh... there's a problem with that, Admiral. Dr. Beckett leaped shortly after you left. We haven't been able to locate him yet."  
  
"What?! I'll be there in a minute. Have Ziggy ready when I arrive."  
  
As the admiral arrives and enters the elevator and goes down ten levels he try's to remember more from his past- or rather his former past. But he can't because his mid is being filled with memories he doesn't recall from his new life.  
  
As the elevator opens, Gooshie is waiting for him there. He seems as though he has bad news.  
  
"Is Ziggy being cooperative?" Al asks.  
  
"No. She is totally overloaded, by what she just found. I can't believe it. It's..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Alia. Ziggy found her, in Elkridge. In 1988. But she's not there. There was some interference and we lost the signal."  
  
"She leaped. She had to have leaped. But why was she in Elkridge."  
  
"Ziggy had...for a moment, a possible lock on..."  
  
"Sam!"  
  
":Yes. It was a 67.2 percent chance that he was there. But we lost both of them."  
  
"Prepare the Imaging Chamber. We have to find them both."  
  
"But, how? We don't even know where to-"  
  
"April 8, 1970. It has to be where he went."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"If Sam is going back and changing things that he couldn't the first time, then that has to be where he went. But this time he has help. And hopefully he can convince Alia to stay and to keep doing good."  
  
As they walk to the control room, they both realize that things are different. But they have to find Sam and Alia. Because who knows what else could change. 


	3. chapter three

AS the neuron search begins Al wonders if this is where Sam is or not.  
  
"Gooshie, are we sure this is right?"  
  
"Affirmative Admiral. Ziggy has given this place a 98.5 percent chance."  
  
"Admiral, we're getting a lock."  
  
As the search area wraps itself around the walls of the Imagining Chamber, Al realizes that it is the place he thought. It's April the eighth, nineteen seventy. In Vietnam, is Lt. Tom Beckett's unit. He is floating right next to the chopper, and sees two familiar faces.  
  
On the chopper, Sam sees his old pal and is almost shocked beyond belief.  
  
"Al!! Al how did you-"  
  
"Sam! Thank God this is where you are. We almost lost contact with you."  
  
"But, how did you know this is-"  
  
"Beth." Al answers. A short and simple response to all the changes that have happened in the last couple hours.  
  
"You know why I've come here then, don't you?" Sam asks.  
  
"Yes. But we also have something else. We found-or we did find.." Al trails off as Sam knows what he is talking about.  
  
"Alia. She's here." As Sam touches Maggies Dawson and they morph and then show their true identies.  
  
"Alia, Al is here. And he's going to help us." Sam responds.  
  
"Really. Do you think he can? I don't know if I-"  
  
Sam looks at Al who has a sad look on his face. Sam knows something must be wrong. But what could be wrong?  
  
"What is it Al? Is there a chance that we can save her?"  
  
"Yes. But since you leaped back you have to accomplish you're original mission which is for Maggie to take the pictures of the POW's and to save...your brother Tom."  
  
"I don't know if we can do both. I though that it would stay the same as it was before."  
  
"Yeah. Before you originally leaped here Sam. According to Ziggy history has reverted back to the original outcome. Tom and Maggie are killed on this mission."  
  
Alia and Sam both look at each and say "Oh, Boy." 


	4. chapter four

Chapter four

AS Sam and Alia prepare for the mission they know that it's up to them not to interfere with what has been done and what has been undone. Each has a mission, Alia as Maggie must follow the POW's and get the picture that will win her the Pulitzer prize. Sam as Magic must go with his brother Tom to try to make the mission work. Sam knows the outcome but must play along as it occurs without telling Tom. They both succeed in their missions and everything plays out as before. This time Al stays with Alai to make sure she doesn't get killed, but he must turn back to help Sam.

The unit is running for the helicopter when Alai comes running up.

"Wait stop-" Sam says.

She does stop just before the trip wire that killed Maggie before.

"Tom! Help her over the trip wire." Sam orders.

"Damn! How did you know?" Tom asks as he helps Alia(Maggie) over and into the chopper.

"It's like I lived this moment before." Sam gratefully answers.

"You lived this moment before, eh. Tell me what happened?" the Lieutenant asks.

"You don't want to know." Sam answers as they board and ride back to the base.

At the bar later all of the soldiers are gathered. This time Sam isn't getting wasted because he 'traded a life for a life'. Alia is there as well.

General Grimswold walks in with Maggie's last pictures. This time she can see them for herself.

"So do you think any are worthy of placing in the newslatter to Washington.?" He asks.

Alia unsure of what picture was the one that won Maggie the Pulitzer asks Sam, "What do you think, Magic?"

Sam looks at Al and then says, "The last photograph."

She rummages through the pictures and then sees it. The last picture is of a POW at the end of the line. Then she looks closer. It is Al.

She walks over to Sam as the others continue celebrating. She asks, "He could have been free."

Sam repeats what Al says now, "I was free. Up here he was always free. It's the same with you Alia. You can be free. You can leave all that you have done behind. Those evil people will never find you. I will never let that happen."

"I hope I can believe you." She says as the shimmering of the leaping effect takes over her and as she leaps out she smiles. Then Maggie leaps back in.

"Well, soldier. You going to buy a thirsty girl a drink?" she asks.

Another soldier obliges her as Sam and Al go to a corner.

"I never got to thank you Sam."

"Thank me for what?" Sam asks.

"For this." As he hold up a photograph of he and Beth and their daughters. "I've never been happier. I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"It's what I do, Al. It's what my purpose is. Not to expand the science or technical point of Quantum Leaping. It's what I do there that's really important."

Just then Tom breaks in, "It's 12:00. It's April the ninth and I'm still alive." Then he goes over to Sam and puts his are around him and says, "Thanks to you, little brother."

And that ends Sam's return to save someone he lost. He leaps out and travels the space-time continuum until his next leap begins.

He leaps in and is in a wooded area by a large lake. He sees a woman nearby and he notices he's holding a camera. There is also other photographic equipment around. Then she runs over and says, "Quick! Get it before it goes down!"

Stunned from what she is talking about and still confused from the leap he asks, "Before what goes down?"

She pulls the camera and chokes him as she quickly snap a picture. Then the negative slides out.

"We almost missed it! What has come over you?"

"I don't know?" he responds.

As the photo develops he see what she was so excited about. There is a dark image on the photo that looks almost like a dinosaur head.

"Now we have proof it exists!" she exclaims.

Staring at the photo, Sam exclaims, "Oh, Boy!" He just figured out she took a picture of the Loch-ness monster.


	5. Loch ness

Loch-ness

March 14, 1972

He leaps in and is in a wooded area by a large lake. He sees a woman nearby and he notices he's holding a camera. There is also other photographic equipment around. Then she runs over and says, "Quick! Get it before it goes down!"

Stunned from what she is talking about and still confused from the leap he asks, "Before what goes down?"

She pulls the camera and chokes him as she quickly snap a picture. Then the negative slides out.

"We almost missed it! What has come over you?"

"I don't know?" he responds.

As the photo develops he see what she was so excited about. There is a dark image on the photo that looks almost like a dinosaur head.

"Now we have proof it exists!" she exclaims.

Staring at the photo, Sam exclaims, "Oh, Boy!" He just figured out she took a picture of the Loch-ness monster.

Looking at the photo in his hand Doctor Samuel Beckett thought he had just found the discovery of a lifetime. His mouth was dry and he couldn't speak. Until his eye caught his partner. She is an attractive brunette who is English. She looks like a reporter with the camera but maybe not. He didn't think so since the photo in his hand was of the famed Loch-ness monster.

"Well…you just going to stand there or are we going out to get closer?" she asks as she picks up and oar and attempts to push a small boat out.

":Wha-Out there!" Sam exclaimed as he puts the photo away and walks toward her. "That was the…the L"

"Yes! No help me get this boat out there before we lose it." As she points to a small radar screen on the boat. They watch a blip on it but then it disappears.

"Dammit. It's gone!" she yells.

Trying to get his bearings from the leap in and from the shock, he sates, "Well…maybe…it's for the best. You know that there never has been a confirmed sighting of the creature."

"What! Are you starting to believe that quack Dobson? He wouldn't know the truth if I hit him in the back of the head!" she says.

She storms away from the boat and Sam follows. She begins packing the other equipment and he helps.

"Leave me alone."

"Why? Just because we missed one opportunity. There'll be others."

"Like when ten years from now. Twenty! Fifty! If you hadn't noticed the people around here aren't to friendly when it comes to so-called photographers like us who search for the unknown and not to the mainstream."

"I'm sure that we could-"

"Forget it! We'll just be like all the rest and give up." She says as she storms off.

Looking frustrated Sam yells out at her, "Come on, we could try-"

As he hears the arrival of a hologram, Sam looks around. Then his friend Al comes through a post nearby.

"Save your breath, Sam. Women don't like it when you want to do things your own way." Al tells him.

"And how would you know? You've been married how many times?"

"Used to be. Remember your Swiss-cheesed mind doesn't remember you changed things between me and Beth."

"That's right. You and Beth are still married." Sam remembers. "How are she and your…kids?"

"They're great. It's just great Sam. I'm still learning though that being married is a lot different than being…you know." Al says.

"A hound-dog. A sleaze. A player."

"That was the old me. I've changed."

"I guess you have. So what am I doing here?"

Taking the hand link Al hits a couple of buttons and says, " It's March 14, 1972. Your in Lo- Lo- Loch-ness. Loch ness? Loch ness, Scotland."

Remembering the photo, Sam quickly pulls it from his pocket, and shows Al, "Look what we took! Do you see what it is?"

"It's a small blob on the water." The observer responds.

"No. It's the monster. The Loch-ness Monster!"

"What! There's no such thing as the Loch-ness monster. Come on you know better than that."

"We saw it and we-she took a picture." Sam says.

"She took it? Sam that's a Polaroid camera. You have a Polaroid camera around your neck. How could she take the picture?"

"Well…she kinda pulled it and grabbed…"

"Well getting a little close are we? You dog."

"It's not like that. We're colleagues…I guess. I don't think were lovers."

"You don't know what you don't know. Her name is Patricia Coolidge. And you name is Gerald Bernard. You are an assistant photographer for the London Herald. She is your boss, the chief scenic photographer."

"That explains the tension between the two. Is it some kind of office romance?"

"Uh, only if pigs flew. He has a huge crush on her and she doesn't even know he exists. Which bring me to the reason why you're here. Tomorrow night she drowns in the lake. It was never fully determined what the cause was, because she is an excellent swimmer. But the records at Scotland Yard claim that it could have been foul play."

Sam and Al look on as she yells at a storekeeper in the distance.

'Sometimes leaping around in time is easy. But then there are times like this. One thing can be monumental and another is tragic. It was up to me what really happened, and change it.'

Sam walks into a pub and is met by disapproval of all those inside. He walks up to the bar and asks, "Can I get an ale."

A townsman walks up behind and says, "We don't serve your kind here."

Sam turns around and says, "What? My kind. What do you mean by that?"

"You reporter types, who come in and make a ruckus of out town. You all claim that you are here on business when you're really trying to make fun of us. We're a laughing stock because of you!"

"I didn't mean you any harm. We're just here to-"

"To have a drink. I thought I might find you here. After all I thought we were a team?" as his partner Patricia walks in.

"Damned reporter! Never trust them!" As the old bar patron leaves.

"Go back to whatever hole you came from!" she yells.

"Was that necessary? I mean you don't have to be like that. You could just talk."

"Has that got you anywhere? After all you've done nothing but wander around while I've been chasing leads. What have you done?" she exclaims.

"I've still got this." As he shows her the photo. But then she snatches it away from him.

"Not anymore. I thought that you were the best one on the way up."

"And I thought you were supposed to be showing me the way things are done. After all you are my boss. That is your job."

"I'm glad you know that. Because if you don't start doing your job, you're fired!"

She walks off and goes into another room. The bartender asks, "So how long have you two been married?"

"We're not." Sam exclaims disgusted with her. "Where's my ale?"

"Coming right up." The bartender says.

'As I investigated the truth or fiction into the Loch-ness monster I found more discord than help. Some people were kind but others were downright rude. I ended up in the public library, if you could call it that. A small house with rooms of books in no order; haven't these people ever heard of the Dewy decimal system. Anyway I was making headway in the truth part of out find.'

As Sam looked through books the Imaging Chamber door opens and out walks his observer. He looks at Sam and says, "You're still looking for clues to a mythical creature. Come on Sam, you're a scientist. You deal with fact, not fiction."

"It's not fiction. We saw it with our own eyes. It's as real as you are." As Al walks through a table.

"Oh, yeah. The photo. You know Sam there have been 437 documented sightings of the Loch-ness monster up until our time. And none have been confirmed. Don't you think you're wasting your time? I mean you should be looking for a possible murderer, remember."

"She can take care of herself. After all, she a tough woman."

"Sounds like you have a thing for this woman."

"No! I mean I don't. This guys mind must be merging a little. I can't stop thinking about her."

"Well while your searching for things that don't exist there someone out there that wants to do her harm."

Sam reaches for a book and shows Al a section of it; "You know the legend came from sea captains in to 15th century. They reported seeing creature fitting the description. It comes all the way down to our day, with these sightings."

"That's all fine and good, but you're not leaping around in time to disprove legends. You're here to save people's lives like hers."

Sam realizes what time it is. "How long until she disappears?"

"We don't know. Her body was found, tomorrow afternoon. That means she wasn't seen from about now until when she is found."

"Well we have to find her." Sam exclaims. "Do a search and see if you can lock on to her."

"There isn't enough data. Besides it would take too long because we have to compensate for the difference in time zones and computer systems."

"Well find a way." Sam says as he runs out.

'I know when a leap is going down hill, when things start snowballing, and I don't know how to stop them.'

As Sam runs down the road to the lakeshore where he leaped in he looks around and yells, "Patricia!"

"Patricia! Are you out here?"

Sam stops to catch his breath when Al pops in. He says, "Sam she is about 500 yards down the road just past the landing."

Sam runs in her direction, as she is standing by the landing.

"What am I doing out here?" she says to herself. Al centers in and says, "I don't know but you better go that direction." As he a point to the direction Sam is coming.

"It's a dark night out here." The pushy bar patron says as he comes out from the shadows. "You shouldn't be alone."

"I'm not alone. After all you never heard of the rumors that the creature comes out at night more than the day."

"I know all the rumors. After all, I created them. And anyone close to the truth would know too much than wouldn't they?"

"I don't know what your talking-" as she is grabbed by the patron as he put his hand to prevent her from yelling.

"Sam, where are you?" Al yells.

As the old man drags her kicking and trying to scream she kicks him and pushes away. She then runs into his trap and is roped into a weight that lifts her up and throws her into the water.

"Gushie, center me on Sam." Al orders.

But then Sam tackles the old man and fight with him. They roll around on the ground and Sam punches him a couple of times. The old man then gives up.

"Stop. Stop! Please!" he yells.

"Where is she?" Sam asks.

"She went into the lake. She is trapped." He tells.

Sam then gets up and jumps head first into the freezing water. Al is in shock that he got there in time. He hits punches a couple of buttons on the hand-link anticipating Sam's next request.

Sam comes up for air and asks, "Where is she, Al?"

"She is ten feet down and two feet to the left. But she has a rope attached to her leg. You gotta untie it to free her."

Sam goes down again as Al looks on. A couple of seconds go by which seem like an eternity. Then the both of them come up and gasp for air.

"Thank God. You were down there so long I didn't think either of you were coming back up."

Sam helps Patricia out of the lake. They both collapse on the shore. She looks at him and then kisses him.

They stop and he asks, "What was that for?"

"For saving my life. And my career. And for everything. I know how you feel even if you don't know I know."

"What do you mean?" Sam questions.

"I think she means that she wants to…you know." Al chirps in.

"You want to-" Sam asks.

"Yes! Yes I will marry you." As she kisses him again.

"Well, you did it Sam. They are married in '73. And they start the first news service to cover unexplained phenomena. So get ready to le-" as Al cuts off as he sees a creature coming out of the lake. Its head comes over to Sam and Al and Patricia.

They all look and say, "Oh, Boy!"

And Sam leaps out…

Sam leaps in and is standing on a small knoll. It is winter and teenagers surround him. He turns around and is cold-cocked. He gets back up and tries to defend himself but three other kids ambush him. One the turns his arm around his back and tries to break his arm.

"This is for being where you don't belong!" the bully says. He then breaks the arm and pushes Sam down the snow-covered hill.

Sam rolls over and says, "Oh, Boy."


	6. First Love December 3, 1992

Season six episode 3

First Love

December 3, 1992

Sam leaps in and is standing on a small knoll. It is winter and teenagers surround him. He turns around and is cold-cocked. He gets back up and tries to defend himself but three other kids ambush him. One the turns his arm around his back and tries to break his arm.

"This is for being where you don't belong!" the bully says. He then breaks the arm and pushes Sam down the snow-covered hill.

Sam rolls over and says, "Oh, Boy."

As Sam slowly gets up from the fall he realizes that his arm is broken. He struggles up the small knoll as the bully and his entourage laughs at him. Sam walks over to the bully and asks, "What was that for?" as he hold his left arm.

The bully gets a smug look and responds, "You know! This isn't your spot. All the trash belongs over there." As the bully points to the far end of the schoolyard.

"Can't…can't we just call a truce…" Sam asks.

"NO!" as the bully decks Sam and then punches him in the face knocking him down. Sam is reeling when he kicks the bully in the head.

Sam then gets up and spin kicks him then a couple more kicks to the gut and head. The bully falls backward into his friends. Then he growls and charges Sam. Sam move and he misses, and runs right into the schoolyard monitor and good spirited teacher who helps the bully up.

"That's it! Both of you are going to the principals office!" she says.

"Why? He started it! I shouldn't have to." Sam argues as he wrenches in pain from his abdomen.

"You both were fighting, so you both will go right now!" the teacher says.

By now Sam realizes that he is a teenager not more than 13 or 14. The other kids look on as some root for the bully and others support him. One girl comes up to the teacher and says, "Aaron shouldn't have to go. David started it all."

"Well…we'll figure this out inside." The teacher responds.

One of the members of the bully's entourage comes over and tells, "It wasn't David. Aaron came over acting all cocky and wanted him to push him down."

"That's not true!" the girl says.

As the teacher escorts the first bully away the second pushes down the girl injuring her ankle. He stands there and laughs, "Haven't you learned how to walk yet?"

Seeing this Sam intervenes, "Why the hell did you do that?" getting right up in the next bully's face.

"Because…she deserved it for trying to help you."

As more teachers arrive to break up the commotion, Sam helps the girl over to the side of the school.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

"I was about to ask the same of you?" she responds.

Sam looks at her ankle and says, "It looks like a mild sprain. You might want to ice that."

"What are you now…a doctor? By the way thanks for trying to help me."

"I was about to-" Sam is cut off as rumbling starts. The ground starts to shake and the earthquake jolts everyone.

"What's happening?" she asks startled.

"I think it's an earthquake." Sam responds.

'Having experienced a quake only once before I was unprepared for the magnitude of it because I didn't even know where I was.'

As Sam tries to stand he hears the familiar sound of the Imaging Chamber door open. Out walks his observer Al.

"Sam it's December 3rd, 1993. You're hear to save a girl from being killed in an earthquake."

"It's already began, Al. Whom am I supposed to save."? Sam asks his companion

"Her!" as Al points to the injured girl.

At that moment the brick wall of the school begins to collapse on the two of them. Sam covers the girl but it's too late. But, just then he leaps out and then right back in to the same person.

"Sam! Sam can you hear me?" the observer frantically asks.

Sam gets up from the rubble of what was once a wall and checks on the girl.

"She's not breathing!" Sam says as he begins CPR.

"Sam I would have been here sooner but we didn't know this would happen so quickly. Ziggy had just barley begun searching the records when we came across the story of a girl being killed in an earthquake in California."

"This doesn't look like California." Sam responds as he continues CPR.

"Well, you are in the mountains. It may look like winter but it's just the elevation."

"Come on, dammit! Breathe!" Sam yells as he tries to save her life.

After about 20 compressions and breaths she is revived. She begins to cough and wheeze from not breathing.

"What…what happ…" she tries to say.

"There was a quake. The wall collapsed, and I covered you so you wouldn't get hurt. But somehow you stopped breathing by the wall collapsing."

"You saved…me?" she asks still having trouble speaking.

"Yes…I guess I did."

As an ambulance arrives Sam lets the professionals take over. They load her up and cart her to the waiting ambulance. Sam and Al are looking on.

"Hey, jackass! We're not finished!" says the first bully Sam fought as he escaped the teachers during the quake.

"Oh, great. Can't we just settle this as adults?" Sam asks not looking to get beat again.

"NO!" as the bully charges him. They roll around on the ground and the bully sucker punches Sam in the ribs. Sam is immobilized and is wheezing because he realizes that the wall collapse broke some of his ribs.

"You just don't get it don't you, freak! You…are …not…supposed…to be…here…on …our …turf!" he says as he kicks and pounds on Sam.

"That's dirty fighting! Sam get up and show this nozzle who's boss." The hologram incites.

"How?" Sam asks as he tries to get up.

"Trip him up, and then pound this jerk to a pulp." He answers.

Sam then sweeps the bully's legs and he falls. Then Sam pounds the living hell out of him. He beats him until he can't hit anymore. Sam then get up and walks to the ambulance. The EMT's are waiting on request from the girl, who was all watching this.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up later." He tells them. But then he falls to the ground from exhaustion. The techs help him to the vehicle, and they take off.

In a hospital hallway Sam is lying in a gurney, watching the ciaos of the aftermath of earthquake victims. He looks at the cast on his arm and the bandages across his chest. He was injured from the fight and the quake. He didn't realize why he was still there. If he was to save the girl, whose name he didn't even know. If he saved her why hasn't he leaped?

"Sam. How are you doing?" Al says as he appears from the wall.

"Al, why am I still here? I thought I changed history hours ago."

"Actually…", as Al hits a few buttons on the hand link, "Ziggy doesn't have the slightest clue why you're still here. She says you should have leaped when she was in the ambulance. Or even after you beat down that punk kid. Why did he come after you?"

"He did this, and I haven't the slightest idea why?" as he tries to lift his casted arm.

"Well I can tell you that your name is Aaron Walters. You are an eighth grade student at Greenwood Junior High School in Quincy, California. The young girl you saved is Bernadette Johnson. She is also in eight grade. Other than that I don't see any connection between the two."

"There's got to be more to it. It doesn't make sense why everyone seemed against me…or Aaron."

"If you could explain the reasons why adolescent kids behave the way that they do you could earn yourself another degree."

"In what…child psychology." Sam responds.

Just then Bernadette is wheeled up in a gurney right next to Sam. "You'll have to wait here a minute so we can find you a room." Her nurse says.

"Hi." She says Sam."

"Hi." He responds.

"So…how are…I mean…are you…okay?" She asks.

"I'm fine." He says even thought he feels like he was run over by a truck.

The nurse comes back and informs, "It looks like we have a room, but you'll have to share a side. We are swamped with people from the quake."

The girl looks at Sam and smiles. He smiles back at her as they are wheeled.

"Uh, Sam I'm going to go back and see if we can figure out why you haven't leaped." As Al open the imaging chamber door.

"You do that. I won't go far." Sam jokingly says.

"You sure won't. I'll be back in a while." As the door closes.

"You know, talking to imaginary people could be seen as a little weird." Bernadette says.

"It's just a role-playing I do to…keep from going nuts."

"Everyone thinks you are a little nuts already." She responds.

"Oh, boy." He says.

As they are settled into the room they talk and converse for some hours. Sam learns that she is a well brought up girl and he is form a not so fortunate family. They have known each other since second grade.

Her family arrives and she is put in a wheel chair and taken to another room to be with them.

Sam is trying to figure out what he is still doing there, when Al comes back.

The door opens and Al walks out, "Sam, I think we figured out why you are still here."

"Why?" as he tries with no success to sit up.

"You're to play with matches…"

"What?" Sam asks.

"Play matchmaker. You to play matchmaker between Aaron and Bernadette."

"Why? From what I've found out they're form opposite sides of the track. They don't even seem to be interested in each other."

"Well…you had better begin to have interest or you may not leap."

"That's Ziggy's expert opinion. How much of a chance does it have to work out?"

Al mumbles a little. Then Sam asks, "What was-"

"Forty-four point nine. A 44.9 percent chance it will work out."

"The odds have got to be better than that. It seems as though they both like each other but they won't commit because of stereotypical behavior in teenagers."

"Well, you've got your work cut out for you."

"I'm not going to try to…with a teenager."

"Well she sees you as a teen, so give the ole Beckett charm a shot. Maybe she likes scientific explanations of quantum physics."

"What are you saying, Al? I don't know how to flirt with a woman-girl?"

"Well, when it comes to women I may be the expert on this leap."

"Yeah, but remember, you're married."

As Sam remembers that he flashes back to a previous leap where he was talking to Al about a woman. He can't remember who, he just remembers it was hot and in the south.

"Ziggy shouldn't underestimate me Al. I'm not done here yet." Sam tells.

"We'll see." Al responds.

As they spend more time in the hospital and talk with each other the two grow closer. They play games and talk about quantum physics and about the future.

'As I spend more time here I hope that what we talk about helps when Aaron gets back. After all, he is the one she sees when I am trying to be friendly to her.'

As she is about to be released from the hospital she stops in to see Sam.

"I guess they're releasing me. I am going home, finally." She says.

"That's good. You can recover at home and be with your family. I'm sure that you're sick of only talking with me all day."

"I don't think that would ever be the case. I know you to well now. I even think it would be okay to talk at school."

"That wouldn't go against some kind of social or political rule that others have." Sam asks.

"It would but I don't care. We have to accept others as who they are and not who they appear to be on the outside." She responds.

"That's good to know." Sam says.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything." She says as she leans in and kisses him on the cheek.

"You welcome. After all, that's why I'm here." He tells.

She walks out and then looks back and smiles and then finally leaves.

Al comes over and say, "A happy ending?"

"It looks that way. So how are they? Did they ever…you know?"

"No. I sorry to tell you this but she is killed next year in a tornado." Al grimly responds.

"Why? Why was I here then?" Sam asks saddened by the news.

"I don't know. Ziggy can't figure out why…unless…"

"Unless I change history again."

"It's possible…"Al says, "But you can't control where you'll go next."

"Maybe I can…" as Sam, remembers some of what Al the bartender told him.

"Maybe I can…"

And Sam leaps out….

As Sam leaps in he sees a ball coming toward his head. It nearly misses him but he stumbles into another person next to him, and that person knocks over a stand that falls on to a girl's leg knocking her down.

Sam gets up limping to see where he is. It is gymnasiums with a class of kids similar to the last leap. He then sees her. It's the girl he saved before. He is in shock that he leaped here again. Is it a fluke or did he control his leap in.

"Oh, boy!" he exclaims as tries to figure out this one.


	7. First Love part 2

Season Six: episode four

First Love

May 12, 1993

As Sam leaps in he sees a ball coming toward his head. It nearly misses him but he stumbles into another person next to him, and that person knocks over a stand that falls on to a girl's leg knocking her down.

Sam gets up limping to see where he is. It is gymnasiums with a class of kids similar to the last leap. He then sees her. It's the girl he saved before. He is in shock that he leaped here again. Is it a fluke or did he control his leap in.

"Oh, boy!" he exclaims as tries to figure out this one.

As Doctor Samuel Beckett tries to regain his bearings, from the hit in the head and from the leap, he realizes that he is back at the same place he was moments ago. But when in time is he, and why is he back here.

He sees Bernadette, the girl whom he saved previously. She and another girl are arguing about the play in the volley ball game. The other girl slaps her and she begins to fight her. It is quickly broken up. The girls are separated, but the friend of another girl takes a baseball bat and hit Bernadette in the knee. She collapse and cries out in pain. One of the bullies that fought Sam before goes over and yells at Bernadette calling her a slut. Sam runs over and intervenes, and the bully backs off. Sam helps Bernadette to her feet but she can't walk without help.

"Do you need medical assistance?" the gym teacher asks.

"Yeah…I think so." Bernadette responds.

Sam takes the opportunity to find answers, "I'll take her to the nurse's office."

"Okay. In the meantime I'll be writing up detention slips for these three." Pointing at the instigators of the fight.

"Thanks." Bernadette tells Sam as he helps her to the exit of the gym.

"Your welcome." He responds.

As they struggle to walk up the stairs they come past a window and Sam sees that it is thunder storming outside. He doesn't remember that Al told him that she was killed in a tornado. Sam helps her up the last step and she says, "I think I can take it from here."

"Are you sure? I mean…well…can you walk…I mean by yourself?" he asks.

"I think so. Anyway I don't think it's socially correct that you go one. You know how they act toward you." She tells looking out for his safety.

Sam realizes that talking with her on the social ramifications of junior high school didn't seem to work out.

"After all it's been…a couple months since they tried to make their point." Sam says.

"It's been six months, and nothing has really changed. And the teachers don't seem to mind since we'll all be in high school next year. Just three more weeks until freedom." She happily says.

"Six months. This is May?" Sam asks knowing that danger could be near.

Before she can respond Sam hear the familiar sound of a tornado warning.

'Back on the farm in Indiana, we had our share of tornadoes and storms. And I knew well what that sound was. We may have lived a couples miles out of town but you could still hear the tornado siren for miles around.'

"Oh, boy! We have got to get to a shelter an interior room!" Sam says.

"It's too late…" she says looking out the window that they just passed.

The Sam sees it, a F-1 tornado heading right for the school. He and Bernadette head for the middle of the hallway and Sam pushes her down against the lockers. He looks up just before it hits. The twister shatters the windows and debris flies everywhere. The suction force is incredible. Bernadette begins to be pulled down the hall but Sam grabs her arm and holds on to her. In the middle of the howling of the wind and the debris hitting the school Sam hear the familiar sound of the imaging chamber door opening. Al walks out and closes it. He looks around as paper and books and ceiling tiles fly through him and around him.

"Gushie, is this the place or did Ziggy not pinpoint Sam's location correctly."

"AL!" Sam yells out.

"Sam! What the hell is going on?" the observer asks.

Sam points to the where the window used to be and Al sees that a twister is moving off as the wind and suction die down.

Sam and Bernadette slowly get up, as Al is awestruck at what just transpired.

"Are you okay Sam?" he asks.

"Yeah…I think so. Where have you been? You know I could have had some warning."

"Sorry. Ziggy's main location circuit malfunctioned and we had a little troubled finding you. That's all. Don't blame me, Ziggy's the one who wasn't able to find you in time."

"Where am I? I mean why am I back here?"

"Well let's see. It's May 13, 1993. You're in Quincy, California. You are here to save a girl named Bern-"

"Bernadette Johnson. Yeah she's right here." As Sam points the where she was.

Al looks puzzled and then says, "Where? To whom are you referring?"

"Where did she go?"

"Wait. Did you say she still dies?"

"You're right that doesn't make sense…" as Al hit the hand link and hits a few buttons. "In the original history she was killed when a tornado hit the school. There were 23 injured and she was the only casualty. Now she is shot and killed outside of town."

"Well we have to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Hey…the are some people hurt over here." She yells from down the hallway.

Sam and Al go over to help.

'As I helped the victims of this tragedy, I couldn't help but wonder why there was little warning. Why did I leap in to save one person only to change it worse than before? _Al_ was right…the leaps are getting harder. May it's me or just that Time, or God, or fate wants me to try harder.'

Sam helps move some of the injured out as Bernadette ushers out the ones not hurt so they can get to safety. As night falls they are both exhausted. The last few go out as she checks off their names, to keep track of when they leave.

"I should get home. My mother must be worried. Are you going too?" she asks timidly.

"I don't know." Since Sam doesn't have a clue where his home is or who his family is.

"Uh…his family is safe Sam. They weren't even in town. He's been staying with some friends. And they left two hours ago."

"I guess I could make sure you get home safe." He states.

"That would be great." She gleefully replies.

"Okay, let's get going." Sam says.

'As we walked home through the wreckage, I couldn't help but wonder why I was here again. Was it something more than leaping or was it just another coincidence. I was going to make sure I found out.'

"So…" she begins, "Why are you hell bent on changing the way people think of you and others that aren't…"

"Losers. Well what about not in the social circle. Or I don't know how about a bunch of…"

"I get the point. Why are you doing this?" Bernadette asks.

"Why not? Do you know that kids who are shunned by the rest of the class and are labeled 'losers' or loners are the ones responsible for the shootings and bomb threats and all the others things that happen to schools where they wonder what went wrong? They wonder why these kids take such drastic measures to be heard and sometimes people are hurt or worse."

"That only happens in big cities. And besides, those kids are mostly in gangs. That couldn't happen here."

"Have you ever heard of Columbine?" Sam says.

"Where?" she wonders.

"That's right you don't know it yet. There will be a shooting at a school in…Colorado. 12 students and one teacher are killed by so called losers that were shunned by kids in their high school. So don't tell me that things will be different in high school because they won't. They'll just get worse." As Sam says, trying to convince her.

"And just how do you know this? Are you some time traveling nerd who knows about things in the future?" She mockingly asks.

"Well…sort of. That's why I am here."

"You know that is why everyone thinks you're a loser. Because you think all these things will happen when they won't."

Sam grabs her and intently says, "You have to convince other people to change their ways before it's too late!"

At that moment she is startled. But then they here some people by a house nearby. Two men are robbing a house destroyed by the tornado. They try to hide behind some bushes but it's too late. The men see them and shoot. Sam it hit in the arm and Bernadette is grazed in the leg.

The looters run up to them and the first one says, "Well, look what we have here."

On the ground Bernadette screams out in pain and Sam struggles to get up but fail, and says, "Oh, Boy."

As the looters pick Sam up on hold his arms and the other tires to hit him. Sam kicks him down and the other one lets go. Then Sam super kicks the other one and the first one gets up and Sam punches him down unconscious. Sam then helps Bernadette up and they both try to run away. The run down the road and come to a clearing where they see a house.

They both collapse and Sam go over to her and ask, "Where are you hit?"

"I the leg…ooooowwwww! It hurts!" she screams out.

"The bullet just grazed you. The bleeding is minimal." Sam looks at his own wound and says, "I think the bullet went through. Aaah! There isn't much bleeding here."

Sam sees Al arrive and asks, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Wh-well…I was preoccupied. One of my daughters, just told me some wonderful news." The hologram says.

"Well, if you hadn't noticed I was just shot. So I'd like to know what is going to happen so I can avoid anymore injuries." Sam says.

"Okay. Calm down." Al punches a couple of buttons and the hand link reacts, "Sam, you're only 50 yards from her house. It's just down that trail."

Sam struggles to get up and he carries her down to her front door. Her parents come out and are happy to see she is okay, more or less.

Sam backs off and speaks with Al, "We did it!"

"Yeah, it's looks like we did Sam. Everything's going to be just fine." But then the hand link chirps with new information.

Bernadette comes over and says, "Well maybe I could try to change people minds. We could try to get everyone to get along."

"We?" Sam asks.

She leans over and kisses him and she states, "I'm pretty sure that us being together will turn a few heads."

"She walks back over to the porch as Al informs, "That was the reason why you were here Sam. To change everyone's opinion about socialization."

"So everything works out just fine?" Sam asks.

"For a couple of years…then…"

"Then…what?" Sam asks.

"I don't know how to tell you this but…she… she is the ninth victim of a serial murder in the nearby town. After that Aaron is never heard or seen again."

"Well I can't let that happen!"

"You don't have a choice. Ziggy says it was a fluke you leaped here again but you did accomplish you mission."

"But I could leap again to save her."

"Ziggy doesn't think so. And anyway you're about to leap."

Sam looks at her and tells Al, "I'll come back here. I swear I will Al."

As the glow of blue electricity surrounds Sam he leaps out to his next adventure.

Sam leaps into man who is on a sidewalk in a small town, which appears to be in the 1960's. He looks around and everyone gives him stern and means looks.

Then a passenger in a truck passing by yells out, "Go home murderer!"

Sam is confused but then reads the note he has in his hand. It reads:

Jacob Denton

Released on probation for a minimum of ten years from this date forward. July 20, 1965.

To not have contact with the Rasmussen family, of which the crime of murder was committed by the subject on December 24, 1952.

Signed the Honorable Judge P. F. Henning presiding.

Sam is shocked that he's leaped into a parolee, and spouts, "Oh, Boy."


	8. Probation July 25, 1965

Probation

July 25, 1965

Sam leaps into man who is on a sidewalk in a small town, which appears to be in the 1960's. He looks around and everyone gives him stern and means looks.

Then a passenger in a truck passing by yells out, "Go home murderer!"

Sam is confused but then reads the note he has in his hand. It reads:

Jacob Denton

Released on probation for a minimum of ten years from this date forward. July 20, 1965.

To not have contact with the Rasmussen family, of which the crime of murder was committed by the subject on December 24, 1952.

Signed the Honorable Judge P. F. Henning presiding.

Sam is shocked that he's leaped into a parolee, and spouts, "Oh, Boy."

As he is met with stern looks and stares from the townsfolk, Sam Beckett walks down a sidewalk storefront. He sees his reflection and it is one of a man about 65. His hair is gray and he has a straggly mustache.

"You shouldn't have come back, Denton." A man says As Sam comes face to face with the sheriff.

"I'm sorry. But I'm sure I have business here." As Sam struggles to say.

"Well…you outta get going about it. Before someone take the law into their own hands." The sheriff informs.

As the law officer walks off still keeping an eye on Sam, the leaper wonders why he has leaped here. Was it to do well or did he leap in to stop another crime from happening.

"Looking for answers…" Al says as he startles Sam.

"Al! How many times have I told you not to do that?"

"More than I can remember. But it's always fun to see you jump."

"Well if you haven't noticed I am not very…welcome. After all I am on parole for murder."

"Well that's why you're here. Let's see it's July 25, 1965. Your name is-"

"Jacob Denton. Yeah I know that. He committed murdered in 19-" Sam cuts off as someone walks by. "1952."

"Yeah. Denton murdered an elderly couple named Julian and Betty Rasmussen. He was sentenced to 45 years but was released five days ago for good behavior."

"Tell me something I don't know." Sam nervously asks.

"Well you-I means Denton was ordered by the judge to contact the victims family and apologize. Then he is to make contact with his probation officer."

"Well…what happened."

"In about two hours he was never heard from again…"

Sam looks at Al and wonders what will happen to him.

'Every leap I come into comes with danger. Sometimes I know right away, and sometimes I figure it out at a critical moment. Then there are leaps like this where I don't know where or when the danger will come from.'

As Sam approaches a house, he is nervous. It isn't because he has never met these people before, it's because he is the man responsible for murdering their grandparents.

Just as Sam is about to open the walk gate to the house, a truck pulls up and two men grab him and put him in the truck and drive off. They proceed to beat down Sam until he's unconscious.

When Sam awakens he hears voices but doesn't see anything. He realizes that he's blindfolded. His arms are hung above him and he can smell the stench of farm animals namely cows and horses. He realizes he is in a barn somewhere.

"Hey…Denton! Wake up! It's time for your justice!"

One man takes off the blindfold and Sam recognizes on of his captors. It is the sheriff. The other is the two who heckled him earlier.

The imaging chamber door opens and Al walks out and sees Sam's predicament.

"Sam…what are you doing here? You're supposed to meeting with Denton's probation officer!'

"Well I am a little busy at the moment."

"Sam the odds of original history staying them same are nearly 100."

"Well what am I going to do about it?"

"Man he's more crazy than before he went to the slammer." One of the captors says.

"Look…I'm not who you think I am. My name is Sam-"

"That doesn't matter! You killed two people. And the justice system has failed us again. Now you are going to be given what you deserve." The sheriff says.

At that moment, Sam hears a gunshot. The sheriff falls to the ground dead. Then two men come in and hit the other two captors over the head. Sam doesn't recognize them but he knows they are there to help him.

The older one, a middle-aged man says, "Cut him down."

The other man, a younger man does so. They help Sam up and give him his belonging in the corner.

"Well now…it looks like you have a something to do."

Al interrupts, "Sam this is Judge P.F. Henning, the judge who let Sam go."

"Yeah, I do."

Sam figures that the younger man is a relative of Denton's victims. He agrees and says, "I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you and your family."

"That's good, boy. Now we'd better get these guys to town. There'll be some questions. But I knew that they were crooked. And it was up to you to lure them out. You did a good job boy."

"Thanks. Uh, Judge could I have a minute alone."

"Certainly." He agrees.

"Al, I did. At least I think I did. What happened?"

"Well, in original history, Denton didn't come anywhere near the house of the Rasmussen family. That messed up the plan of the judge who was setting up the town sheriff."

"So I did change history. But what about Denton."

"He's given a full pardon in 1995, when new evidence overturned his conviction. But it was too late he died the day before he to be pardoned."

"So I was here to make sure that justice was served, in the right way."

"Yeah. Well I guess you'd better get ready to leap."

Sam smiles and he leaps out to the next mission that he is to change for the better.

As the shimmering of the leap subsides Sam sees that he is in an old control room that looks like a test sight.

"Preparing the final countdown. 15, 14, 13, 12-" the loudspeaker says.

Sam looks around and sees a map with a small town nearby, and a dot on it that is marked A-Bomb Test Sight.

"Wait you have to stop the countdown!"

"No! It's almost done."

Sam sees an abort switch on a panel and he flips it. The loud speaker then announces, "Test Aborted."

A man in an army uniform comes over and grabs Sam by the shirt and yells, "You better have a good excuse for doing that Doctor!"

Sam struggles and sputters, "Oh, Boy."


	9. Atomic September 27, 1954

As the shimmering of the leap subsides Sam sees that he is in an old control room that looks like a test sight.

"Preparing the final countdown. 15, 14, 13, 12-" the loudspeaker says.

Sam looks around and sees a map with a small town nearby, and a dot on it that is marked A-Bomb Test Sight.

"Wait you have to stop the countdown!"

"No! It's almost done."

Sam sees an abort switch on a panel and he flips it. The loud speaker then announces, "Test Aborted."

A man in an army uniform comes over and grabs Sam by the shirt and yells, "You better have a good excuse for doing that Doctor!"

Sam struggles and sputters, "Oh, Boy."

"Well do you!" the angry man in the doctor's coat says as he addresses Sam.

"It's not right to do these tests. These…devices…are…"

"Are you trying to support those who try to disprove our work?"

"No. I'm just saying aren't there better ways to test without-"

"With out what. Human causalities." The general asks.

Sam thinks to himself, what was he there to put right and where in god's name was Al….

Atomic

September 27, 1954

"Take the good doctor over to the barracks. He'll need some more convincing." The general orders. "And reset the test site for another try. After all, that is the reason we are out here in the middle of New Mexico."

Sam thought to himself that he was back in New Mexico. But when in time had he landed. Why was he there to test A-bombs?

While two burly looking soldiers escorted Sam, he looked around the base. He recognized it as a test site that was nearby the project in his time. As they arrived at the barracks, which seemed to be for civilians and doctors such as him, the soldiers patted him down and then let him go in. This was unusual for a military base, Sam thought.

"What no handcuffs." Sam joked.

One of the soldiers reaches for them but then realizes he was joking. Sam gets a startled look on his face. The soldiers leave and Sam notices his picture ID for the base. It reads: Dr. George Kelerman. Project Alamogordo. Test site A. Clearance level 4.

"Kelerman. He was one of the people who tried to stop the testing back in the fifties." Sam spoke aloud.

"You shouldn't say that. The walls can hear you know." Another scientist says as he walks out for his shift. He looked sort of familiar. He was short, and he had curly hair. But what was it that Sam knew about him.

"Doctor Gushman. Right this way." The general says as he gives an evil stare back at Sam.

Sam turns around when he sees Al arrive. Al looks around and says, "Oh My God. You are here."

"Here. Where's here?" Sam asks.

"You don't remember but this was the first site we consider for Quantum Leap, Sam. But we were denied for some sort of preservation technicality." Al informs.

"But you don't look like you have good news."

"No. Let's see…It's September 27, 1954. You have leaped into George Kelerman. You're a scientist working on the final A-Bomb tests in Alam-"

"Yeah, I know that. Why am I here."

"You're here to stop them." As Al points to the command center.

"You see these test will contaminate the air and kill hundreds of people from fallout. But the nozzle of a general got off with all the charges being dropped because the towns peoples main witnesses are killed tomorrow in an 'accident' during a test."

"Well-who is the witnesses."

"A nurse named Mary Soldara and…you."

Sam looks in shock because he has no idea how to pull this one off.

'Whenever I leap into a place usually I'm met with some aggression and some hostility. But this was different. I don't think I can remember a time when I was so disliked in the place I've leapt into. Hopefully I can change the Mary something and save these people while trying to sneak under the nose of the General. But if it doesn't work I may change things worse than before. But there's always risk in leaping…that's one of the fallbacks of doing this. But, whom else would want to do it…'

Sam is now on a hillside overlooking the town where people will or already are showing symptoms of radiation poisoning. He feels a presence behind his and turns around. It is a young woman about thirty. She has on a nurse's uniform and her nametag reads: Slodara.

"Thinking of a way to stop this." She asks.

"I'm trying. It's not easy with everyone looking over your shoulder." He responds.

"Well…you could tell them that you need something from town. They may let you go."

"Come with me…" Sam says. "I don't think they would mind if-"

"I can't. I've gone there too many times. I think they know about what we're doing."

"You mean warning the people of the sickness going around." Sam concludes.

"Yeah. But I don't think they're going to stop what they're doing even if the president intervened. They are bent on trying those innocent people as human guinea pigs. It' just not fair."

"Life isn't. But it doesn't give a person the right to impugn a death sentence on those who are innocent. They are…monsters."

She looks back and he boss a mean looking nurse with a army uniform, gives her a mean stare. "I'd better get back. I'll see you soon."

"Okay." Sam responds as he gets a bad feeling down in his gut. He knows that he has only a few hours to stop the 'madmen' that run this place.

In the command bunker the general is handed a paper reporting what Sam and Mary just conversed about. He looks at it and crumples it up. The he takes a picture of himself and Mary together. He then orders, "Bring Nurse Soldara to me."

In the control bunker Sam sneaks in and tries to access the mainframe. He attempts to change the conditions of the test but he is interrupted. The general and some soldiers come in and apprehend him.

"I knew you would try it. Don't you know, we watch you every second of the day." The general says.

""It was worth a try, after all. You're killing people and no one can do anything about it." Sam says.

"Well…now we can add two more subjects. Now if you'll go with the guards."

Two guards try to take Sam but he kicks one of them the other tries to handcuff Sam and he punches him. Then the other beat him down with nightsticks.

"I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

The general hits Sam one the back of the head knocking him out.

As Sam regains consciousness, he finds him self in a small house. He sees Mary next to him unconscious. He gets up and the handcuffs are gone. He looks out a window and realizes the horror of where he is. He is on the test range for the atomic bomb.

Sam goes over to Mary and revives her. At that moment, Al arrives and tells Sam, "What are you doing here? Do you know where you're at?!"

"Yes. I know. How do I get out of here?"

"Uh…there's a small cave near here. You both can hide there and hopefully the blast will miss you." Al says.

As Sam helps up Mary they run out of the house and run for the cave. They get there and find a small opening. Mary crawls inside but Sam waits. Al is wondering why.

"Sam! What are you waiting for? You've got to get in."

"Wait. I know who that general is. His name is Con- no…" Sam says trying to remember.

"It doesn't matter. You've got to get in the cave."

"No. I can't. I have to make sure original history is preserved."

"What! Sam you gotta save yourself. Get in the cave."

Sam starts running for the house again and Al catches up with him.

As Sam enters the countdown is already down to twenty seconds. Sam goes in and awaits the fate.

"Have you lost your mind, Sam? You have to change history so that-"

"No, I don't! I can't explain it I just know that George has to die for…Gushie."

"What!?"

"That was Gushie's father. He was part of a project that tested the bombs. His friend was killed and they stopped the tests. That is why he has to die. Because if he doesn't more people will die."

Al hits some buttons on the handlink and confirms Sam intuition. "I can't believe it. That's right. Gushie just told me."

"Well what now?"

Just then the handlink starts making all kinds of noise, and realizes what is happening. "Sam! We're at ground zero during an-"

"An atomic blast!" As Sam's eyes widen.

"Eight …seven…six…" they here in the distance. But when Sam runs for the door, he sees the general with a gun pointed at him.

Sam looks at him and asks, "Who are you?"

There isn't a response because the bomb is dropped and the blast widens out across the canyon. But as it goes out so do the blue light tingling with electrical energy.

Sam leaps in and is standing in an old room of a building. He looks at Al who is still there. He is confused and asks, "What happened?"

"I don't know. Where are we?"

"I don't know you have the handlink." Sam says as he sees that Al has different clothes on.

Al looks at the handlink but it's dead. Then he realizes what Sam is thinking. Al tries to walk through a chair in the room but fails.

Sam then walks through a couch and walks over to Al. They both look at each other and say, "Not again!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	10. The leap back home

Sam leaps in and is standing in an old room of a building. He looks at Al who is still there. He is confused and asks, "What happened?"

"I don't know. Where are we?"

"I don't know you have the handlink." Sam says as he sees that Al has different clothes on.

Al looks at the handlink but it's dead. Then he realizes what Sam is thinking. Al tries to walk through a chair in the room but fails.

Sam then walks through a couch and walks over to Al. They both look at each other and say, "Not again!"

The leap back home

September 2, 1948

"Gushie..What the hell's going on?"

Al starts hitting buttons on the dead handlink as Sam realizes that he can't remember what happened.

"Al…where are we?"

"What? I don't know Sam don't you remember what happened."

"No. I can remember a room and an explosion…" Sam tries to remember.

Al is stunned that he's the only one who knows what is going on. He looks around and sees a calendar that says September 1948.

"Well it looks like were in my lifetime Sam. Why don't we try to find out what we are here to change."

"Your lifetime? Al what is going on? It's seems as though I have a reverse swiss-cheese effect which is making me forget…"

"Come on buddy, you can't do this now. We have to put right whatever has gone wrong. And we can't do that until we figure out how to get you out of the imaging chamber."

"Imaging chamber?"

"Oh, Boy, Sam."

"As we were stuck in 1948, Sam and I had to figure out what we are here to do. But Sam doesn't have the slightest clue what is going on."

Al Calavicci looks around the room where he and Sam have leapt into and he notices that it's 1948. He tries to figure out why he is here when a women comes through the only door in the room.

"Come on! They're coming! Quickly we have to hide!" she tells Al as she pulls down a ladder to an attic.

"Who's coming?" he asks.

"The patrols. They're here to take us to the camps." She exclaims.

"Patrols?" Al asks as he gets a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "This is Europe?"

"Al, you'd better hide until we find out what you are here to do." Sam says as he looks for a way out of the imaging chamber.

Al hurries up the ladder a shuts it behind him. The soldiers barge in and look around. They search for the people hiding but fin nothing. They check the attic entrance but can't open it.

"There's no one up there. There isn't anyone here!" Sam yells.

One of the soldiers turns and almost looks Sam in the eye. Sam gets an uneasy feeling, as the soldier almost seems to know that he is there. Then the soldiers leave and block the door behind them.

Al and the woman come down from hiding as Sam is standing there looking startled.

"What is it, Sam?"

"I think that one soldier could see me…or hear me…I don't know if he could." Sam says.

"This leap is getting more bizarre by the second." Al observes.

Just them they both hear the sound of the imaging chamber door open. It's not the typical white door that opens up. It's a light blue door that opens from the side. A women walks out and she is holding a modified version of the handlink in Al's pocket. She is a tall, brunette who seems very familiar to Sam.

Al is shocked because he knows exactly who it is. "Sammie Jo! What are you doing here?"

"Ziggy lost contact with both of you just after you two simoleaped. The program that randomly picks a time came up with this one on the fifth try. It was good of Dr. Beckett to install it before he leaped." She says.

"So where are we?" Al asks, "But more importantly where are you?"

"I'm at what is known as US secret project DOD-5718829Beta."

"5718829. That's Project Quantum Leap's Defense number. Beta? You mean there's another project?" Sam asks.

"Yes, Doctor. We are located in the mountains one hour north of Las Vegas, Nevada. We are near the Valley of Fire state park."

The handlink signals Sammie Jo. "Uh, Admiral, get ready to leap."

"What but we never found-" he is cut off as the blue aura of light surrounds him and he leaps out. Sam sees his friend's fizzles out along with the background and all he sees is the white glow of the empty imaging chamber.

Sam looks around and yells, "Let me out of here!"

Sammie Jo returns to the control room at the second project as Gushie opens the door at New Mexico.

"Are you sure we should let him out. After all if he remembers-" Gushie asks.

"He won't." she says as she leaves the control room.

As the leap effect fades Al finds himself on the ledge of a building. He seems to be wearing a superhero costume and he looks down to the four stories below as fire, police and rescue workers surround the building.

"Don't jump! We want to talk about this." The fire chief asks.

Al looses his grip and almost falls, as he utters, "Oh, Boy!"


	11. Martyr February 2, 1961

Martyr

February 2, 1961

Al looks on as the crowd gathered before him wait for the next thing he will say. He is awestruck but then confused. He doesn't remember how he got there and doesn't remember what happened a second ago.

As the leap effect fades Al finds himself on the ledge of a building. He seems to be wearing a superhero costume and he looks down to the four stories below as fire, police and rescue workers surround the building.

"Don't jump! We want to talk about this." The fire chief asks.

Al looses his grip and almost falls, as he utters, "Oh, Boy!"

Al reaches up and regains his grip, as some policeman grab him and bring him back inside the building. He is awestruck how he got there. He tries to remember what the day is but can't. He thinks has been unconscious but looks around and figures out he hasn't.

"Are you okay, Will?" one of the officers ask.

"Will?" Al asks as he tries to regain his bearings.

"My name is Al…All…" as he drifts off.

"I can't remember my name. Today is Sept- no November…"

"Will, it's February. February the second."

"What year?" Al asks.

"It's nineteen sixty-one."

"I've leaped into the past?" he says to himself.

"Leaped into the past. If we didn't save you would have leaped to you death."

Thinking what the officer said Al responds, "Yeah…leaped."

"We'd better get him to a doctor." The second officer says.

"Wait a minute. Just give me a minute." Al says.

"Okay. We'll be right outside."

The officers leave as Al wonders to himself, why he is in 1961. More importantly, who was he and why was he here? He remembers a blast and light, and then a room. He was talking to someone, a middle-aged guy with a gray streak in front. But who was he?

"Sam!" Al remembers. "Thank God I didn't forget Sam."

Meanwhile at project Quantum Leap, Doctor Sam Beckett was enjoying his time back I his own time. It had been four days since Al leaped. He was reunited with Gushie, Tina and all the others. He met Dr. Fuller or Sammie Jo as she was called. He just had a feeling that someone was missing. He was preparing to break the news to Beth, Al's wife, and their four children.

As Sam walked nervously to the lounge where Al's family was he could remember the times so many years ago that he walked these hallways. It was before he leaped. He remembers a time when the where building the control room. At the time it was mostly black surfacing and Ziggy wasn't even built yet. He remembers seeing Al cursing out some plans on a table, which would become the main counsel for Ziggy. Sam laughs to himself as he reaches the lounge.

He looks inside and sees Beth. She is much older than what he could remember. But he didn't remember much since his memory of leaping was fading, and he was remembering his pre-leap memory.

"Beth?" he asks shyly. "I have some…some bad news." He chokes out.

She is in shock that who she sees is the person that Al has risked his life and his livelihood for the last six years. "Sam?"

"Yes. Uh…there's been an accident. You see…Al…well he's…leaping." Sam nervously tells.

A shocked look turns to fear, as Beth fears the worst. "Have…have you found him?"

"Not yet. We're still doing the nano search."

"The what?" she asks.

Sam moves closer and stands behind on of the chairs in the lounge. He notices a coffee maker on the counter.

"Can I offer you a cup of coffee?" he asks trying to be cordial.

"Yes. Thank you." She obliges. Sam moves over to the counter and pours two cups. One has an old symbol for the Star bright project on it. The other has Al's name on it and a date on which is faded out from its use.

"How do you take it?" Sam asks because he doesn't remember. "Cream and sugar." She informs.

Sam makes the finishing touches as he remembers he doesn't drink coffee. He drinks tea. He tries it anyway.

"So…are you going to tell your children?" Sam asks as he gives the cup to Beth.

"Yes. I think I should." Beth responds as she examines the cup. "I gave this to Al on our twentieth wedding anniversary."

"Wedding anniversary. Oh yeah I know, I got this cup when I started the Star bright project with-" Sam tries to remember.

"It doesn't matter. Al's gone now." She cries.

"We'll find him. I swear we will find him and bring him home."

As Sam talks awhile he gets a funny feeling when he remembers the Star bright project. He can't put his finger on it but something isn't right here.

Later Sam is working tin the lab trying to strengthen the retrieval program. Then he looks up and sees Sammie Jo standing there.

"I see you're working late." She says.

"Yeah…I was looking at your theory for the retrieval program. It could work, but there are too many variables. Maybe we could work together on it?"

"I would but I have plans tonight. I'm meeting my mother in town for dinner. Would you like to come?"

Sam looks around and realizes he can't work on an empty stomach. "Sure." He takes off his lab coat and goes with here.

They pull up to a restaurant in the town near the project. Sam puts away his wrist-link to Ziggy. They both walk in and Sam sees a tall woman who looks a lot like Sammie Jo, just a bit older.

"Dr. Beckett I would like you to meet my mother…Abigail."

"Nice to meet you mam." Sam says.

As they go to sit down and eat Sam gets that funny feeling again that he thinks something is wrong.

"So…where did you grow up, Sammie Jo?"

"Pottersville, Louisiana." She responds.

At that moment Sam remembers someone. He remembers a crowd of people, and a gun blast. And he sees Abigail there. Then it fades. Then he remembers another women, the one from the Star bright project.

"Donna?" he finally remembers.

Sammie Jo is shocked. "How did you-I mean you weren't supposed-"

"I have to go." Sam says. "It was nice to meet you Abigail."

"My pleasure Doctor."

Sam hurries out and goes to the project. How could he forget Donna, the woman he loved the woman he married. He grabs the wrist-link.

"Ziggy?"

"Yes, Dr. Beckett."

"Where's Donna?"

There's a pause and then, "I'm sorry to tell you Doctor, but Dr. Elsie left the project almost two years ago."

"What? Where is she now?"

"I don't know Doctor. She swore me to secrecy."

"Who else knows?" Sam asks.

"Admiral Calavicci."

As Sam hurries back he is frustrated. He enters the control room and goes to activate Ziggy.

"Ziggy…have you found out what Al is there to do?"

"Yes Doctor. He is there to stop the man, William Cabbot from ending his life in as a martyr for his cause of stopping racism in Birmingham Alabama in 1961."

"Is the Imaging Chamber ready?"

"In 32 seconds Doctor." Gushie respond.

Sam grabs the handlink from the control panel and walks toward the Imaging Chamber door. He looks at everyone in disdain that they could let Donna go.

As Al is trying to figure out what is going on, he wonders about the man he remembers. Then he hears a familiar sound. And then he sees the man he remembers.

"Sam!" he yells out.

"How you doing, Al?"

"I don't know. I am in 1961 with a mind like Swiss-cheese, and everyone thinks my name is Will."

"Well…what do you remember?" Sam asks.

"Not much. My name and your name, but that's it."

"Have you looked in a mirror?" Sam asks knowing what the outcome will be.

"No." Al says. Then he goes over to one in the room and is shocked that the reflection isn't him, but that of a young black man.

"What the hell?" Al says shocked.

"You're part of an experiment; one that deals with time travel. You have switched places in time with …" Sam punches some buttons on the handlink. "Will Cabbot. You are trying to stop the racism going on here in Birmingham, Alabama."

"Trying too?" Al asks.

"Yeah…you see he's killed in five minutes when some people try to punish him for trying to change the town."

"That's what I'm here to do? Change his life for the better?" Al says.

"Yes! Exactly."

Just then the police barge in with some townspeople, and take Al out of the jail cell he is in.

"This is it Al. You've got to stop them!" Sam yells as people pass through him.

"How?"

"Uh…I don't know. Escape!"

Just then some black people from the town fight the white people and a brawl ensues. Someone pulls out a gun and tries to shoot Al. But a white man gets in the way and takes the bullet instead. Al catches him as he falls, and everyone stops. The man is the mayor of the town and everyone begin to disperse.

"For you…" the mayor says as he dies.

"Why?" Al asks Sam.

Sam looks at the handlink and says, "I don't have an answer."

Sam kneels down next to Al. They both look at each other when Al leaps out.

Later Sam is sitting in the lounge wondering why Donna left. He is wondering why he remembers Sammie Jo's mother. He also wonders why someone else died instead of Al's host.

"Looking for answer?" Beth says as she walks in.

"Trying to figure out what to do now?" Sam says as he gets up to leave. "I don't think Al can handle this."

"I think it would be easier if he remembers on his own." She tells Sam.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not to tell him about us; about me and our children. Ziggy's orders." She informs handing Sam a list.

"I'm sorry for you and Donna. She was a good woman."

Sam nods his head in thanks and she leaves.

'Where ever I time you land, what ever you're there to do, we'll get you home Al. If it's the last thing I ever do.'


	12. Killer Clown Act October 29, 1967

Killer Clown Act

October 29, 1967

The shimmering of the leaping effect subsides as Al looks down at a dead body. He is holding a knife and is dressed as a clown. He looks around and utters the famous words, "Oh, Boy"

Project Quantum Leap

Stallions Springs, New Mexico

January 3, 2000

Project Quantum Leap Waiting Room

"So what do you remember?" Sam asks the guest.

"I don't have to tell you anything!" he yells.

"Can you tell me what you-"?

"NO!" the leaper yells.

Then his disposition changes, "Sam…you have to stop him…he is…" the leaper says looking at Al's reflection.

"Stop what?"

"Nothing!" as the leapee returns.

Sam knows this will be difficult because Al's mind is merging with the leapees.

Sam exits the Waiting room as Gushie greet him.

"Congratulations, Doctor. You have regained all of your memory, according to Ziggy." He informs.

"Thank you. I've got to go see Al."

"Not necessary Doctor. Doctor Fuller is seeing to that."

"Okay. What am I supposed to do?"

"Well you do have visitors in the lobby." Gushie replies.

"I do."

"Yes."

Sam head for the elevator and goes up. When the doors open he sees a familiar face waiting by the information kiosk.

"Katie!" Sam yells out.

"Sam!" She yells back as the two races to each other an embrace.

"How long has it been…six years?" Sam asks.

"Yeah! We all got together for Christmas just before you left. They said you weren't able to communicate with us because of the experiment."

"Well I'm backing, now. And I won't be going anywhere." He assures her.

She starts to tell him, "There is someone else here to see you."

But, Sam already knows because he sees his big brother Tom, whom he saved twice. He runs to him and embraces him.

The three Beckett children go to a table and discuss what has gone on.

"So you actually did it? I mean you actually traveled in time?" Katie asks.

"Yeah. Although I can't remember much now, because of the Swiss-cheese effect have erased my leaping memory."

"Well, little brother. It looks like you can celebrate now."

"Yeah…" Sam says as he thinks of Al.

"Where's Mom?" Sam asks.

"Well…she couldn't make it. It's her age, she doesn't want to leave."

Tom looks at his watch and says, "Well, I've gotta go. I'll be late for the presentation."

"Some military thing." Katie informs.

"Top secret!" Sam laughs.

"Yep." Tom replies. The two brothers embrace and Tom leaves.

Katie tells Sam, "I'm sorry about Donna. She didn't even say good-bye to us."

"Yeah…that's what I've heard." Sam replies.

Sam gets up and tries to think.

"What is it Sam?" Katie asks.

"This just seems so surreal to me. I mean I've been gone for six years, and I can't seem to remember what happened. All I can remember is the past."

"It hasn't been good for us either. We weren't able to see you for six years. That's a long time. It's almost been as long since Dad…" she trails off.

"Since Dad died. I remember. It was just before me and Al started Quantum Leap. I can remember snow and people around a grave…"

Then the handlink in Sam's pocket chirps to alert him.

"I've got to go. It was nice to see you."

"We'll catch up later." Katie informs.

"Yes, we will." Sam agrees.

Sam enters Control as Gushie is preparing the Imaging Chamber. He goes to activate Ziggy.

"Ziggy. What do you have?"

"Good Morning, Doctor Beckett. I see your reunion with you sibling has had a positive effect."

"What do you have on Al?"

"Admiral Calavicci seems to be mind-merging with the leapee. I could not find a name but he is dressed as a clown."

"A clown?" Sam asks.

"Yes, Doctor. It is October 29, 1967. I found an article in the San Francisco Gazette, claiming an unidentified man, dressed as a clown murdered a fellow carnival worker."

"The chamber is ready Doctor." Gushie informs.

Sam heads for the door as he is prepared for the worst.

Meanwhile, Sammie Jo has had no success contacting Al. She can see and hear him, he just isn't responding.

The door to the New Mexico project opens and Sam sees Al looking at a person who is tied up.

"You think you all can get away with laughing AT ME!" Al yells under the influence of the leapee.

"Al! It's me!"

"No one can stop me!" Al yells as he raises the knife.

"Gushie, I need a way to get through to him!" Sam asks.

"You're kidding?" he responds.

"Al, what was the name of you tailpipe buddy when you were an ensign?"

Al doesn't respond.

"Come on! What was the name of-"

"Chip? It's was Chip?"

"Good. What was the name of the nurse that you used to date?"

"Lisa?" Al says as he lowers the knife. "Lieutenant Lisa…"

"That's right! What is your name?"

"Beck- no Calavicci. Ensign Albert Calavicci."

"Close enough." Sam responds. "Well you changed history. This guy never tries to kill again. H put in a psychiatric hospital and stays there for eight years until he's released."

"Sam? Why am I dressed as a clown?" Al asks regaining control.

"You won't be for long. Get ready to leap."

"Good. I hate clowns!" Al says as he leaps.

Al leaps in and is dressed as a woman. He looks around and sees an encyclopedia salesman. He seems to know who it is.

"Honey. Are you going to say anything to your mother?"

Al recognizes the younger woman who addressed the man.

He replies, "Mom!"


	13. Reasons

Reasons

February 12, 1943

Al leaps in and is dressed as a woman. He looks around and sees an encyclopedia salesman. He seems to know who it is.

"Honey. Are you going to say anything to your mother?"

Al recognizes the younger woman who addressed the man.

He replies, "Mom!"

Al is awestruck that he has leaped into the same place as his own mother. He looks in the mirror and sees that he is his own grandmother.

"Ma…are you okay?" she asks.

"Yeah…I think so." Al responds.

At this point all sorts of emotions are coming up, especially anger toward her. Then he asks, "Why did you do it?"

"We've been over this, Ma. I just couldn't take it. All that pressure and that work to maintain our family-it just were too much."

"Too much…how can you say that. Don't you regret leaving your children behind."

"I can't say that I do. They will be better off without me." She says.

"No they won't. Don't you know that-" Al is cut off by the shimmering of the leap out.

He leaps into a white room and sees patients in beds all along the walls. There are bars on the windows, and he is wearing a white coat. He looks around and sees a familiar face. A nurse is treating he pneumonia, as the patient, a young teenage girl with Down's syndrome lays dying.

Al walks over and asks, "Is there any hop?"

"No, Doctor. It's only a matter of hours before she goes."

Trudy can see the real identity of the doctor, "Al? Is…it you…"

"Can you leave us." Al asks the nurse. The nurse obliges.

"Yes it's me, Trudy. I know that you're scared and don't know what is happening, but soon…you'll be free from all of this." As Al tries to hold back tears.

"Go home." She asks.

"Yeah…we'll be going home." As Al goes to hug her he breaks down and knows this is the last time he'll see her. Somehow God or Fate or Time has given him a chance to say goodbye. He mourns his long lost sister as he leaps.

Lighting and electricity flashes as Al leaps in to his next mission. Although he can see what is going on he can't control what is happening. He realizes he only partially leaped in to this person. But what is the reason?

He is walking behind a woman, on a dark street. It is cool outside, maybe near autumn. The person he has leaped into then attacks the women raping her and leaving her for dead. The Al catches his reflection in a store window. He is shocked, but then he leaps out.

The shimmering of the leap subsides as Al looks around. He is in a police station sitting at a desk. A person comes up to him and says, "Hey we have another victim. Let's go."

"Okay." Al responds, still trying to figure out what just happened.

They arrive at the scene and Al is shocked. It's the place from his last leap, if it was a leap. He gets out of the unmarked police car and sees the marking of a body, right where the victim was in the leap before. He sees the window and sees that he is a police detective. He is glad but confused. What is going on with him, he's thinking?

The victim is unwrapped and he sees that it is the women. He then says, "Oh boy!"


	14. Chapter 14

First Love

Part III

November 5, 1996

Lighting and electricity flashes as Al leaps in to his next mission. Although he can see what is going on he can't control what is happening. He realizes he only partially leaped in to this person. But what is the reason?

He is walking behind a woman, on a dark street. It is cool outside, maybe near autumn. The person he has leaped into then attacks the women raping her and leaving her for dead. The Al catches his reflection in a store window. He is shocked, but then he leaps out.

The shimmering of the leap subsides as Al looks around. He is in a police station sitting at a desk. A person comes up to him and says, "Hey we have another victim. Let's go."

"Okay." Al responds, still trying to figure out what just happened.

They arrive at the scene and Al is shocked. It's the place from his last leap, if it was a leap. He gets out of the unmarked police car and sees the marking of a body, right where the victim was in the leap before. He sees the window and sees that he is a police detective. He is glad but confused. What is going on with him, he's thinking?

The victim is unwrapped and he sees that it is the women. He then says, "Oh boy!"

First Love part III

November 5, 1996

Al looks over the cases and figures out that he is a rape investigator in California. It is 1996. His name is Don Rodriguez. He looks over the other cases of the Cutter. It is the nickname of the rapist who takes razor and cut the victims in their…Al can't read it anymore. He realizes he must be there to stop this person.

'As I read about this sicko, I know there is more to it than this. I don't know whether I am the rapist or I just leaped into him partially. All I know is that the leap is giving me a sinking feeling that something isn't right…"

Al looks over the potential suspects and sees the prime suspect is someone he remembers.

PRIME SUSPECTS

Aaron Walters Quincy, CANO Record

James Einhorn Quincy CANO Record

Robert Avery Sacramento, CAONE count first degree harassment

The first name sticks in his head, and then he remembers…

As Sam tries to stand he hears the familiar sound of the Imaging Chamber door open. Out walks his observer Al.

"Sam it's December 3rd, 1993. You're here to save a girl from being killed in an earthquake.

"Well I can tell you that your name is Aaron Walters. You are an eighth grade student at Greenwood Junior High School in Quincy, California. The young girl you saved is Bernadette Johnson. She is also in eighth grade. Other than that I don't see any connection between the two."

"That's right…Sam leaped into him before." Al says thinking out loud.

"You remember." Sam says as he startles the leaper.

"Sam! Where the hell have you been?" Al asks.

"Well…I've been busy. We were running a search for you and then you vanished. We ran it again and finally found you. It's been two weeks since your last leap." Sam informs.

"That would explain why I leaped twice into…" as Al trails off, not knowing if he leaped into the same person.

"Why am I here Sam?" Al asks not remembering the rest.

"Well…it's November 5, 1996. You have leaped into Don Rodriguez a rape investigator in…"

"I know that! Why have I leaped here Sam?"

"Your Swiss-cheesed memory doesn't remember…but you're here to stop the rapist…from killing…the girl I saved before."

"Bernadette…" Al recognizes. "Oh, boy."

'Leaping in time putting right what once went wrong isn't an exact science. We knew we are here to stop this, but why did the situation have to be so serious.'

"She's the ninth victim Al. That means you have two days before she is found murdered in the high school parking lot."

"Ninth victim?" Al asks as he rummages through the papers on his desk. "There have only been seven victim so far."

"That means that the next one will be before her." Sam adds.

"Which means I can stop this sick pervert before he strikes."

Then the hank link makes noise meaning there is information.

"This can't be right?" Sam says. "Ziggy says that there was two leaps in this town."

"Uh…Sam. I think that may have been me."

"What do you mean?" Sam asks still looking at the hand link.

"I think I leaped into…him." As Al point at a newspaper article stating the Cutter fifth victim survived.

"It doesn't make sense Sam. Why would I leap into him? I would have been able to stop it there."

Sam thinks a bit and then hypothesizes, "Maybe it's like when I leaped into Oswald. Maybe there is a conspiracy here, and we have to find out what it is."

"Well if there is a conspiracy, then why didn't I leap when the first victim was attacked." Al hypothesizes.

"Good question." Sam replies.

"Or why didn't I leap when the fifth victim was attacked. I could have stopped him there."

"Your full of good questions, today."

"Sam…"

"Wait…do you remember when I leaped into the reporter in San Francisco."

"No." Al responds.

"Well I was there to stop a psychic form getting killed. But she was the fifth or so victim of the killer."

"What are you talking about?" Al asks puzzled over the first question.

"What if whatever is leaping you around only wants to save Bernadette. Maybe there is some sort of reason behind all of this."

Al's partner walks up and says, "Hey, the fourth one is awake and wants to talk."

"Okay…just give me a minute." Al says as he grabs his coat.

Sam opens the Imaging Chamber door and says, "I'll try to get Ziggy to do more research on this. Meanwhile don't do anything until we know how to save Bernadette."

Al agrees and the door closes.

"In time, everything can be changed. But sometimes change means that it won't happen again.'

Al thinks to himself as he remembers the partial leap in and the horrifying images. Then the elevator doors open and he heads to the interview with a victim. He feels uneasy because he has never dealt with this before. He has been a MIA, a admiral in the Navy and an observer on the project but he has never dealt with a serial rapist.

He enters the room as the nurse leaves. He sees the victim. She is barley seventeen and is frightened. He goes up to her and asks, "Are you able to answer some question?"

"Uh...yeah..." she says.

"Okay. Did you know he person who did this?"

"No."

"Did...you recognize any sort of distinguishing marks?"

"No."

"How did the attack occur?"

"Um...he...he took a razor blade and..." she pulls up her gown and shows Al.

"My God!" he exclaims as he turns away. "We...I mean I will catch the bastard who did this! I promise!"

She then breaks down and Al goes over to comfort her.

Later on Al is driving home, or to the detective's home and sees a car suddenly stop ahead. Someone is thrown out and the car speeds away. He pulls up and finds another victim. He calls for help and wonders why he was too late.

Al is looking over the cases and tries to make sense of it all.

"You okay?" Sam asks as he appears.

"This leap...is just..."

"I know."

It can be hard sometimes." Al responds.

Sam feels uneasy as he enters the ward of the hospital where one of the surviving victims are. He remembers once before when he had to interview a victim of a violent crime. It was also hard to do.

"I knew it was important for me to find out who was doing these horrible things, but I am uneasy questioning people I hardly know and doing a job I don't know how to do.'

Sam enters the hospital room and sees a short haired brunette sitting on a hospital exam table dressed in a gown.

"Hi?" he asks.

She doesn't respond.

"I am Investigator Rodriguez. I have been assigned-" He stops short.

"I want to ask you a few questions. It will be brief."

She turns and reveals her wounds on her face and head. She pulls down the gown to not reveal the other injuries.

"Alisson, do you know who did this?"

"Maybe..." she responds in a low scared voice.

"Are you sure? Was there...any distinguishing marks or..."

"His scent!" she exclaims. "He had a strong smell of wood."

Sam runs the info through his mind. A wood smell could be the result of a mill of furniture factory.

"Can you describe the incident..." he asks.

She begins crying and then reveals the mark the rapist made on her. She has bandages and wraps over her lower abdominal area. Sam goes to hold her as she breaks down from the trauma she has endured.

Later on, Sam is sitting in his squad car thinking about the case and the leap. Al arrives and says, "It's almost time for the next one to be attacked."

Sam hurried to the location and waits for the prowler.

Bernadette is on her date with Robert and all is well, or so it seems. Sam watches from a distance as the two talk in the high school parking lot. Everything is as normal when he starts to feel agitated.

He sees Robert grab Bernadette who tries to struggle but he pushes her down. Sam gets out of his vehicle and runs to save her.

Robert starts what he has done eight times before. Bernadette struggles as she realizes who he is and what he has done. Sam's memory come back from the original partial leap in. The reflection in the store window was Robert.

Sam runs down draws his weapon and say, "Police officer! You are under arrest."

Robert stops his attack for a second and addresses someone behind Sam, "Oh, really!"

Sam is hit with a baseball bat from the father of Robert and he is pushed down.

"It looks like a double feature tonight, Boy!"

Robert agrees and tries to remove Bernadette's clothes.

Al arrives and says, "Sam, we just go some new info. This guy's father is a convicted child predator."

Al realizes history is starting to repeat itself.

"Sam...get up. You have to stop these sickos!"

The adrenaline kicks in and Sam punches and super kicks the father into submission.

He then pulls Robert off of the girl and starts into him. Robert knocks Sam's gun away from him. Bernadette picks up the gun and fires into the air.

"How could you!" she screams. "After all of this it was you!"

Sam and the rapist stop for a second. Sam replies, "Put the gun down. It isn't worth it."

Her hands shake as she is unsure who to believe.

"Come on sweetie, it's just a game." Robert says.

"A Game! Was it a game for those other girls."

"It wasn't me. It was him..." as he points to his unconscious father. "He did that to those girls. He just wanted me to scout them for him. He can't control what he does. That is why we move from place to place to try to,..."

"You sick bastard!" Al exclaims.

Sam then kicks him away from him. Bernadette pints the guns at Sam and then turns to Robert and fires several rounds killing him. She drops the gun and begins sobbing uncontrollably.

Sam goes over and comforts her.

"We did it, Al." Sam responds.

"Yeah. She is acquitted due to the attack and the father is sent to prison and is scheduled for leathlinjection next year."

"We did it. We did..."

The handlink starts chiming loudly and Al tries to figure out what is going on.

"What is it? Sam asks.

Al looks confused and then responds, "Ziggy is saying she's found her. She just keeps repeating that."

"Found who?" Sam asks.

The handlink stops as Al points to a reporter in the background of the investigation, "Her?"

Sam runs over and touches the woman. The electro-magnetic field fluctuates to show the true hosts of the body and it is revealed to be none other than Alia.

"Sam!" she exclaims.

"Alia!"

Alia then hears a deafening sound of her observer arriving.

"Gotcha baby!"

"Thames!" she says.

"What the hell is going on?" Al asks.

"In due time Admiral." Thames says right to where Al is standing. Al and Sam look at each with shock.

"You have an appointment with the administrator Alia."

"Wait! No! You can't do this. I'm free!"

"You ain't free."

"Sam! Save me!" she yells out as she begins to leap.

"No one is getting saved tonight." Thames says as not only Alia but Sam and Al as well leap out with the evil red glow and arrive to the place they thought no one came back from.

They arrive in a dark room with red and black lights. Guard grab them. One takes the handlink from Al's hand. The leader of the evil project comes out. She is an older redheaded woman in a modernized wheel chair. She has burns and scars from what happened to her.

"I have got you now! I've got all of you! You will pay for what you have done to me and to time!"

Sam and Alia exclaim in horror, "Zoey!"

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
